With the advent of the California CHPS (Collaborate for High Performance Schools) standards, CRI (The Carpet and Rug Institute) revised their Green Label IAQ standard to match the low-emitting materials criteria used for CHPS and added adhesives to the program.

This standard, GL+, is the fourth time in 16 years that the CRI has enhanced its carpet testing standard, a measurement by which manufacturers continue to reduce product emissions.

GL+ is an independent testing program that meets and even exceeds the CHPS indoor environmental quality standards for low-emitting products used in commercial settings such as schools and office buildings. GL+ will be accepted in lieu of Section 01350, the CHPS low-emitting materials criteria for use in schools.

The more rigorous GL+ standard is a requirement for many projects, and for the Environmental Quality Credit 4.3 in the USGBC's LEED building system. All of our running-line carpet products and most of our custom products meet GL+.

FloorScore was developed by Scientific Certification Systems and the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) to certify and identify hard-surface flooring products that meet the CHPS 01350 IAQ standard.

SCS and RFCI established the FloorScore program to provide third-party certification for products, and to provide a quick way to identify products that meet these standards.

Product testing is verified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). They examine all VOC emissions test reports by independent testing laboratories for compliance with CHPS 01350 and conduct periodic manufacturing plant inspections to review product formulas, processing and quality control. Visit here more information about SCS standards.

In an October 2006 credit interpretation ruling, the (USGBC) approved FloorScore program certified hard surface flooring products as an alternative compliance path to LEED credit EQ4.3 Low-Emitting Materials: Carpet Systems. To achieve the LEED credit, a minimum of 25% of the finished floor area (both carpet and non-carpet areas) of a building must be comprised of non-carpet floor products, and all of these non-carpet floor products must be FloorScore certified. This alternative credit is available in LEED rating systems NC, CI, C&S, EB, Homes and also now standard direction in LEED 2009/v3. For more information on LEED, visit usgbc.org.

To view a list of Mannington products that have been certified under the FloorScore program, click here. For more information on FloorScore, visit here or rfci.com/.

When we say we are committed to doing the right thing, how do you know what we mean by the right thing? We turn to the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) for some clarity and measurable standards. ISO sets and maintains all kinds of standards for business and industry, and ISO-certified systems meet management standards that are recognized worldwide.

ISO 14001 management systems specifically monitor actions that may affect the environment, to ensure that they are understood, planned, controlled and checked. This certification is a path to continual improvement through rigorously documented steps toward specific environmental goals. Certification (also called "registration") also includes significant training and system auditing, so all those involved are aware of and can improve upon their actions.

Mannington's Environmental Management System (EMS) was first third party certified to ISO 14001 in 2004 in New Jersey at our commercial tile and commercial inlaid sheet operations and next in 2005 at our Georgia carpet operation and all successfully recertified ever since. Our Quality Management System (QMS) has been third party certified to ISO 9001 in our North Carolina laminate operation since 2003 and our New Jersey tile and inlaid sheet operation since 2004 and all successfully recertified ever since. The result is a highly organized and structured approach that ensures the efficient, effective management and continual improvement of our environmental and quality systems.

Defining what determines that which is environmentally preferable is evolving. Mannington is actively involved with multiple standards that are helping to define environmental preferability in the marketplace. The first is known as NSF-140-2007e and it is for carpet. More information is available for your reference here.